Shaft-steadying device.



C. L. BARKER.

SHAFT STEADYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED lune la, |918.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918..

. Pun ma.. wnmmmm. n cA T NQ@ CHARLES L. BARKER, 0F NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

SHAFT-STEADYING DEVICE.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. BARKER, a citizen 0f the United States, and a resident of Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft- Steadying Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a shaft steadying device, and has particular reference to improvements in the mechanism shown in my Patent 1,124,256 issued January 12, 1915.

The object of the present invention is to provide a steadying device for the shaft of an automobile or other shaft containing a universal joint and subject to oscillatory movement in a plane, this plane in the case of an automobile being vertical, which can be built in the factory in a unit and installed bodily on the automobile by the usual mechanics obtainable in shops and garages. In my patent, the device is so constructed that it has to be assembled on the automobile, requiring considerable mechanical work of fitting and adjusting which is avoided by the present invention.

A further object of the invention is to mount the shaft on a member having a floating movement at the bottom as well as at the top, which I have found to give greater freedom of action in practice, as compared with the structure shown in my patent wherein the shaft supporting memberoscillates around a center at its lower end.

Further objects of the invention reside in the simplification of the structure, especially for light powered cars, and the detail arrangement and location of parts, all of which will be more fully understood from the description of the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the preferred form,

Fig. 2 is a side view,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, of a modification, and

Fig. 4is a partial plan view of Fig. 3.

1 represents a base having holes 2, 2, 2, for attachment to one of the cross members of the chassis, and having a depending plate supporting arm 3. 4 represents a depending bearing supporting member which is Specification of Letters Patent.

mounted to float at its lower end 5, and preferably also at its upper end 6, and carrymg the bearing 7 to receive the shaft 8 mounted in such manner as to reciprocate thereon, and also to oscillate slightly. The floating member 4 is carried at its lower end on the support 3 by means of a bolt 9 threaded into an eye l0 and held by a lock nut l1, to permit an adjustment of the effective length of the bolt 9. A spring 12 is interposed between the lower end 5 of the supporting member 4 and the eye 10, resiliently holding the support 4 at its lower end '5 against the head of bolt 9. The bearing 7 can reciprocate in a slot 13 in the supporting member 4, and can also oscillate slightly on the at surface of member 4, being resiliently held against the member 4 by spring 14 and adjustable nut 15, 16 being a grease cup. The upper end 6 of support 4 also has a floating movement, one side bearing against the head 17 of a stud 18 threaded into a lug 19 on the'base 1 and having a lock nut 20, while the other side is pressed against the head 17 by means of a spring 21 bearing on a button 22, the other end of the spring being centered on a stud 23 fastened by nut 24 in lock 25. The heads of bolts 9 and 18 and button 22 are rounded as shown so as to facilitate a floating movement at either end of depending support 4. The depending portion 3 of the base is provided with a strengthening web 26 and a flange 27, for coperating with the end side of the cross member to which the device will be fastened.

In operation, the unit will first be placed on the shaft and then marks made on the truck cross memberwhere the holes are to be drilled, and wedges may be placed between the base l and the vertical side of the cross member of the chassis so as to bring the plane of the supporting member 4 normal to the shaft 8. In an automobile chassis, the shaft 8 usually dips slightly between the universal joint on the frame and the driving axle, although it will be seen that the permissible oscillation of the bea-ring 7 in slot 13 will take care of considerable angularity. The springs 12, 14 and 21 will ordinarily be adjusted at the proper tension by the factory, it lbeing noted that this tension does not have to be very great Patented 0ct. 22, 1918.

Application led .Tune 18, 1918. Serial No. 240,692.

since it does not require much force to oppose the 'tendency of a shaft to- Whip, it being found that the' best location is about` to the length of the shaft from the for- Ward universal joint, the-bearing fitting the shaft With a very loose lit.

In F ig. 3, a simplified unit f is l'shown adapted for light powered trucks wherein the' supportingmernber BOY .is formed l`With-a channel to receive the headedsupport 3] of bearing 32, this supportbe'ing beveled'at its ends as shown as at 33 so as to permit it to oscillate, as v'v'ell'as' reciprocate. 'Thebearing 32 'is open on 'one' side, 'and a similar bearing open on' one side" can' alsobe used in Figpl, since 1- 'have found that a shaft does notA Whip 'if confined only at one side, and the bearing need 'not even be 180o' as shown in` Fig.- 4;. Such a'bear'ing-i's simpler to construct and installand Will suiii'ce'in many cases. The' mernber'BO isnou'nted at its loWer end von a bolt 34 'carried by 'lu'g 35 on' depending base 'nieniber 36,'the position of the lower end of member being'adjustedby nut 37,`a= spring SS-siinilar' to.

j spring 12 bearing'against tlienlmver4 end'of the' bolt' 34. 'At the upper'end, a boltllOl is pinned' between lugs 4:1 'by pins" 42,! and a spring lipl'resses against 'button let siinivlarly tos'piling 38 against button Stv-'to Irethis invention provides a shaft steady'in'g unit which can loe-built inthe factory Vin standard sizes and sold' ready for 'installation Without requiring expensive it'ting' `and Vmeasuring of parts. A lso7 thisin'vention is'cheaper to construct, and by reason of the 'provision Aof the iioat'ing bearing support at the lovver en'd lgives better results inserviceovving to reduced'wear on the parts, While 'hypermitting' 'the bearing support to oat 1 at `both ends, the' lateral strains -Yof the 'shaft will be taken up according toftheir' directionvvi'th I the least resistance.

various'niod'fcatioiis andclianges la'y be made in the'details of construction Without :departing from-*the scope orV 'the appended claims. 4

vVVhat/is claimed, is: I l l. Means for preventing Whipping ofr a shaftcornprising a base, a depending arm pivoted to said base at its upper end and yieldingly connected thereto at its lover end.

and ai slid-ing andl oscillating bearing on-said '2. Means Afor preventing Whipping of a -oscillate on'said arnn shaft comprising a base, a depending arm yiel-dinglyY connected 'thereto' at its ends, and a-'sliding-'andoscillating bearing on said aIlIl.

Suf-'Means'fo r-preventing Whipping of a shaft comprising a base, a depending arm ."pivotedl'tofsaid'base at its upper end and mounted at its lower end to yieldingly move laterally, and a bearing on said arm mounted to slide and oscillate, and to yieldingly "n'o've laterally ina direction opposite to the "tion, an armrnovablylinountedat its ends on said'fprojectin'g portion "to yield laterally at one; end,andl a 'bearing mounted to slide and oscillate'on lsaid arm.

5. A base adapted for rigidattachinent to across pi'e'ce and' having a -proj ee'tingp'ortion, a'n`a1'n' lmounted atitsends to yieldingly noveboclilyjrelatively to 'saifd'proj'eizting portion, andL a' bearingn'ountedto slide and oscillateon saidE arrn.

6.v A 'base adapted jfof'rgd attachment to a" cross' pi`e1ce,la 'bodilyfniovable yieldingly floating arrn carriedbysaidbaseg and abear- 'ing' 'mounted to 'slide and', oscillate 'on "said arm.

f 7. A 'base adapted for rigid attaenmeht to a cross 'pi'eoefand vhaving a projecting; prtion, adjustable" stops; carried thereon, an

arm extending b'etiveen 'said"'stops, springs vyi'eldirigly holding said against said stops, and a bearing mounted j'to slide and 'oscillate 'on said' a'rrn.

' s. A base adaptedferngid attachment@ a cross piece and having" a' projecting portion, adj ustablej lstops carried thereon, an

extendingL 'betvveen said stops;l springs 'yieldingly Aholding' said arm against said stops," and* a bearing inoun'ted "to" slide and oscillateon 'said arin', and `to yieldinglynove 'laterally 'of said' arin.

'9. A base adapted"fr rigid attachment to a cross pieeev andha'v'ing' a1 projectingportin, anadjustable stop'at 2the outer" end, an arm'beafrin'gi aganstjsad stop; a 'spring bearagainst said stop, means'niovablyf'connecting theotfh'er 'endet tilejarmlto the basa-anda bearing intern'ediately`nounted to vslide and 10. In a 'device' toprveiif whipping fa shaft comprising a movable arm mount'dhto yield `later-ally at one-l end, an open'beaiing mountedto slidedoscillate onsaidarrn,

l1. Ina device to prevet'vvhippingf-of a shafteoni-prising ainovahle arm-mounted to 'yield laterally'fat one end, an open bearing mounted between theyieldinglower end of thek arm and its upper end 'to slide'andscillate on said arm. y

12. In a device to prevent Whipping of e Signed at Norwalk, in the county of Fairshaft. a. supporting arm mounted to yield at eld, and State of Connecticut this 14th day both ends, and a bearing mounted thereon of June, A. D. 1918.

having an open side opposite said support. CHARLES L. BAKKER. 5 13. In a device to prevent Whipping of a Witnesses:

shaft, a support floating at both ends s1id- LESTER HYATT,

ably carrying a bearing adapted to oscillate. HENRY P. PRICE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

